Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...

The headline accurately describes the song: the passion and conviction with which they sing each lyric is riveting. The American rap trio Daclikk has just released a new song called "Motion," which seeks to put a fresh spin on things while staying true to the genre. The trio also picked a deep and groundbreaking track to aid in their ascent, one whose wordplay and smart metaphors...